Drier



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

KQS. BLANCHARD.

DRIER.

. Patented Jan. 4, 1898.

(No Model.) 2 VSheets-Sheet; 2. K. S. BLANCHARD.

y DRIER. No. 596,470. Patented Ja,11.-4, 1898.

S fn,

Mieyw. @man-094x 0.15, faamy f, M ,J/jmm;

UNITED STATES PATENT DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,470, dated January 4, 1898. 'Application filed October 28, 1895. Renewed July 2, 1897. Serial No. 643,285.A (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, KIRK S. BLANCHARD, of Albion, in the county of Orleans and State of New York, have invented a certain newr and useful Improvement in Driers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this application.

My improvement relates to driers in which a series of endless aprons.V are used, one above another; and the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of the machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section of the upper portion of the same in line a: os of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of one Aof the ratchets for stretching the aprons. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of one end of onev pair of the conveying and clearing aprons. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the clearers at the end of the aprons. Fig. Gis an enlarged cross-section of one of the cleaning-brushes and sprayers. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 8 is a detail view.

In general features this invention is similar to that patented by me June 25, 1895, No. 541,652. That invention was specially intended for drying fruits, while this is intended for drying finer substances, such as the grains produced in distillation and malt refuse.

A indicates the casing.

B B B are a series of endless conveying aprons or platforms made of wooden crossslats attached to ropes or cables and passing around solid rollers O C C at the ends. The slats are made close-fitting, but allow the free passage of air through them. The boxes aa of the front rollers rest in ways b b, so that they can move forward and back, and to the boxes are attached chains c c, which wind on shafts d d of ratchets D D, by which means the aprons can be tightened at any time. The ratchets are held by pawls e e. The substance to be dried is fed from a hopper E by means of a raddle f onto a picker g, which disintegrates and breaks it up, thence it falls onto a shaker h, which distributes it evenly, and then it falls onto the head of the upper conveying-apron, is fed along to the other end, and drops on the second apron, and so on till it finally escapes through dischargespout t'.

Beneath each conveying-apron B is a clearing-apron F, which runs in close contact with the floor below and is provided with'cross- Scrapers which scrape off all the flour and other fine matter that sifts through the conveying-apron above and discharges the same at the end into the mass falling from the main apron. The aprons are suitably supported by small rollers 7o k. The aprons are sepa'- rated by horizontal partitions G G, forming separate compartments l 2 3 4., each compartment holding one conveying and one cleaning apron and the material being discharged `from one to another through openings Z Z in the partitions. In these openings are discharge-boards m m, which serve to direct the falling material downward.

On top of the main oase is a longitudinal air-trunk I-I, which receives a blast of air from a blower I, having two or more branching pipes opening into the trunk, so as to properly distribute the air. From this airtrunk on opposite sides extend a series of pipes K K, passing down into and through the flue-spaces n n, surrounding the casing. From these pipes short laterals or nipples o o open through the sides of the casing and supply air, whereby the drying action is effected. These slots formed by these nipples are located above the conveying-aprons B B, as shown in Fig. l, andthe currents blown therethrough come in direct contact with the material on top of the apron. Furthermore, the slots on opposite sides of the case alternate or break joints, as indicated by the full and dotted lines, Fig. l. tween every two slots on one side of the case is a single slot on the other side. in thus feeding the currents of air in laterally through the sides of the casing instead of longitudinally at the end of the casing, as is usually done, is to prevent the drifting and piling up of the line material in ridges, which takes place Where the draft comes in longitudinally, and the object of alternating the slots, as described, is to cause the two currents on opposite sides of the casing to counteract and neutralize each other. By this Vmeans the material laid upon the apron is In other words, be-` The obj ect IOO kept evenly spread and is subjected to the best action of the air.

Below the slots o o and between the lengths of each conveying-apron are other slots q q,

which form Ventilating-openings communi-l y the endless apron, and is discharged through .the Ventilating-slots q q. The vapor carried down with it is discharged without passing through the length of the compartment. Hence the drying is expeditiously effected.

The compartments are closed at the ends by curtains j j or otherwise, which prevent the escape of air longitudinally. The air being thus confined is forced to pass down through the slots of the aprons and escape through the Ventilating-openings q q.

L L are a series of stirrers used above each apron to stir up and loosen the mass of material on the apron. Each stirrer consists of a bar provided with a series of wire teeth r r, extending down and bent horizontally, the horizontal portion resting in close contact with the upper surface of the conveying apron, so that the material will pass over the teeth. The bar receives reciprocating movement forward and back by suitable means, such as a cam s or shaking cranks s s', as shown in Fig. 8. Preferably the teeth stand in the direction in which the apron is running, but may stand in the opposite direction, if desired.

M M are clearers at the discharge end of each apron, each consisting of a bar provided with straight teeth t if, like rake-teeth, which extend inward in close contact with the apron where it turns over the roller. These bars also receive reciprocating motion by means of the shaking cranks or otherwise, andA have the effect of cleaning off the material that sticks to the apron where the mass falls over.

N N are concaves on the inner side of the rollers at the discharge end of each apron, said concaves forming scrapers which scrape the rollers where the mass falls over and catch the material which is scraped off. Inside the concaves are small Worms or conveyers u u, which carry the material endwise and discharge it through the side of the case. The apron being made of slats opens in passing around the roller, and the iine material passes through and is liable to gum up the roller unless provision is made for scraping it off. The concave scraper and worm do the work in the most effective manner.

P P are cases of sheet metal located under each conveying-apron near the discharge end. Each case has a circular reciprocating brush o, which brushes the under surface of the apron directly after the mass has fallen over, also a Worm w, which carries off the sediment,

and a small water jet-pipe z, which passes through the casing of the machine and into the case P and lies alongside the brush, close up in the angle between the brush and the apron. The sides of the pipe are filled with minute orifices which allow a spray of water to strike the bottom of the apron and wash it olf in close contact with the brush.

The apparatus above described is specially adapted to drying fine materials, such as malt, brewers grains, and distillers slops for the preparation of feed and for a great variety of other purposes. l

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a drier, the combination of a casing provided with a series of longitudinal compartments, a series of slatted conveyingaprons located therein, and a series of cleaning-aprons under the conveying-aprons, serving to sweep the floors of the compartments as described.

2. In a drier, the combination of a casing provided with a series of longitudinal compartments, a series of conveying-aprons located therein, a series of slots in the casing above the aprons for the entrance of forced currents of air laterally across the aprons, and

a corresponding series of Ventilating-slots between the layers of the aprons, as and for the purpose specied.

3. In a drier, the combination of a casing provided with a series of longitudinal compartments, a series of conveying-aprons located therein, a series of slots in the casing above the aprons for the entrance of forced currents of air passing laterally across the aprons, those on one side of the casing alternating with those on the other, and a corresponding series of Ventilating-slots between the lengths ofthe aprons, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a drier, the combination of a casing provided with longitudinal compartments, a series vof conveying-aprons in said compartments, an air-trunk on said casing, a blower communicating with said air-trunk, pipes leading from the air-trunk and provided with nipples opening through the casing above-the aprons, and Ventilating-slots between the layers of the aprons, as herein shown and described. v

5. In a drier, the combination of a casing provided with a series of compartments, a series of conveying-aprons located in the compartments, and a series of reciprocating stirrers located above vthe aprons and provided withteeth, the horizontal portion of which rests in close contact with the aprons and beneath the material on the aprons, as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a drier, the combination of a casing provided with a series of longitudinal compartments,-a series of conveying-aprons located in said compartments, rollers around which the aprons run, and reciprocating clear- IOO IIO

partments, a series of conveying-aprons located in said compartments, cases located under the aprons near the discharge end, brushes in said cases, Worms located'in said cases, and spray pipes entering the cases and lying alongside the brushes, as and for the purpose specified.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

KIRK S. BLANCHARD. Witnesses:

R. F. OsGooD, GEO. A. GILLETTE. 

